Electrical resistivity tomography, VES and magnetic surveys for dam site characterization, Wukro, Northern Ethiopia

• High resolution 2D electrical imaging sections and their suitability for geotechnical studies.
• Mapping structures with correlation of 2D resistivity, geoelectric and modeled magnetic sections.
• Advantages of using a combination of magnetic data enhancement techniques.
• We show the reasons for the failure of an earlier dam on the proposed site.
• We show why the proposal to build a new dam at the same location is not viable.

Geophysical surveys involving the techniques of electrical resistivity imaging, electrical sounding and magnetics were employed to characterize the ground conditions at a proposed dam site at Hizaeti-Afras, Wukro, North Ethiopia. The techniques were utilized to map the depth to the competent formations, their relative suitability for foundation work and the presence and extent of weak zones in the subsurface. The work has mapped the different lithologic units of the subsurface and determined the depth to the basement rocks in the area. Through correlation of the inverse model resistivity sections of the imaging surveys, the geoelectric section of the sounding survey and the magnetic profile plots with available borehole lithologic logs, it is shown that the results very well supplement the geotechnical point data in addition to providing a wider coverage in mapping areas of weak ground that could otherwise be missed with widely spaced borehole information. The combined results of the survey show the proposed dam axis to be unsuitable. The power of the electrical resistivity imaging technique and its potential to map the shallow subsurface with adequate resolution are illustrated. The result is a strong suggestion that geophysical techniques can be used to assist and extrapolate borehole geotechnical data especially when large area is to be used for development of large infrastructure.